not light, but simple reliable design that works well; with up to 8" of drop (nice!) the new model with better seat clamp look like it will be available soon. Not cheap...but not the priciest one either.

At $220 I do not think they are overly expensive. That the price of a pretty low end fork. Heck there are hydraulic brakes that cost that much per wheel.

It is ridiculous for people to expect a dropper post to weigh or cost close the same to a regular post. It's an entirely additional component. It would be like expecting the same of a suspended fork or frame over rigid.

The Gravity dropper will probably be my replacment for the reasons you mentioned. I also think that $150 to $200 is reasonable, but as i mentioned above the trend in these components is moving well past the $350+ average. This I do not understand, especially when you can get an RP23 for $350ish that has all of this going on inside: (seems like A substantially more complicated mechanism)
or a DHX
or DHX Air

The Gravity dropper will probably be my replacment for the reasons you mentioned. I also think that $150 to $200 is reasonable, but as i mentioned above the trend in these components is moving well past the $350+ average.

I hear you on that one

You are definitely not going to see me defend $400+ posts that are not even proven reliable.

The Gravity dropper will probably be my replacment for the reasons you mentioned. I also think that $150 to $200 is reasonable, but as i mentioned above the trend in these components is moving well past the $350+ average. This I do not understand, especially when you can get an RP23 for $350ish that has all of this going on inside: (seems like A substantially more complicated mechanism)

...

I have a Gravity Dropper, and I got it because of its supposed simplicity, reliability, and GD's service reputation. It really is more or less what you first described, which is a telescopic post, two key-ways for alignment, a strong spring, and two divots (or three as an option) in the telescopic shaft for the position switch. But it is heavy, and my guess is they've worked in a large margin of safety for worst case loads. Perhaps their design requirement wasn't only for the load of the rider (which can easily be a 200+ cyclical load), but instead for impact loads when the bike goes tumbling down a hill.

You can remove the boot of the GD for more elegance. It's spring operated, so no air will leak from a scratched shaft.

I can see this point as well. Though I think the suspension is a little more justified as it directly inputs the ride feel of the bike, and due to different rider weights, trail conditions, and preferences, I can see the justification of the adjustments. A dropper post just needs to go up and down, and stay up when someone is sitting on it.

I hear you. When I bought mine in 2005, I could not believe that such an item could cost over $250 It's just that I had wanted something like this since I started riding in the late 90's, and this was what it cost.

Thing it, it's really easy to think something should be sold for cheaper. It's a whole 'nuther thing to develop and produce it. Especially something that is going to be sold in relatively small quantities.

Whether or not the product is actually worth it is up to the individual.

I am guessing as droppers get more and more common, the prices will come down as manufactures see lower production costs due to volume. Right now the prices seem to be going up because they keep trying to make them slicker, with infinite adjust, which is a little trickier.

The Gravity Dropper itself has actually gotten cheaper since it first came out, and that's not even adjusting for inflation.

But it is heavy, and my guess is they've worked in a large margin of safety for worst case loads. Perhaps their design requirement wasn't only for the load of the rider (which can easily be a 200+ cyclical load), but instead for impact loads when the bike goes tumbling down a hill.
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Good point. The original version (which I got in 2005) had a different inner shaft that they needed to beef up in subsequent years.

Look at anything that's cycling specific, complete hose job, guaranteed. Why does a cycling jersey cost $80? I use breathable polyester shirts from Walmart or Target or under $12. Same for socks. I wear some merino wool hiking socks I got on sale at REI for $7. Why do cycling socks cost $20 a pair? What goes into a pair of baggy shorts that warrants $50 to $100?

Bicycling is a hose job and they charge rape prices because they know you'll line up to pay it.

There is a general consensus that the posts available are top notch and work really well. So when you say "Seriously, if these (Hite Rite) worked so darned well, they would still be for sale" I am asking if you think today's top of the line Gravity Dropper will still be for sale in 2032?

Of course it won't, and that has no bearing on whether or not it worked well. I have no Idea where technology is headed, and it may well come full circle. Wouldn't be the first time. That is my point.

There is a general consensus that the posts available are top notch and work really well. So when you say "Seriously, if these (Hite Rite) worked so darned well, they would still be for sale" I am asking if you think today's top of the line Gravity Dropper will still be for sale in 2032?

The difference is that the Rite-Hite flopped. Not because a better one came along (the GD did not come out until many years later), but strictly on it's own merits and how those lined up with what people were willing to pay for.

I was responding to the claim that the HR is/was a cheap, light alternative that does the same thing as these new, expensive, heavy posts. It doesn't. I'm not saying the HR was a bad product, (it IS light and cheap), but it is NOT in the same league in terms of functionality.

I remember when the GD first came out. It was panned by everyone (who had not tried one) as ridiculous. But as more people tried it, it caught on. Not from hype (this was a tiny company, not some industry behemoth) but because it worked.

Sad to say, but I think putting large mark ups on a product gives the illusion of legitimacy from a marketing perspective. Fox's dropper post is a huge price step above the others in the same way that their forks are a huge price up from others. Whether or not their forks have earned such a price tag is a different discussion, but they have cemented themselves a certain exclusivity in the industry. To sell their new dropper post at anything less than a high price would make it look like they didn't believe in this product. The thing might only cost them $100 to make for all we know, but they have their trademark's reputation to uphold.

Whether or not the product is actually worth it is up to the individual.

I think this is spot on

My first GD is still on one of my bike spread the $$$ I paid over its service (including overhaul charge), came out to less than 50cents per ride not per day. Similar cost per ride is approaching my other posts. We are all have our way of approaching products purchase. This is my approach

I hear people b!tchin' all the time about the price of mountain bikes while they are gulping $30+ a gallon of redbull, chase it down with $7/gallon of bottle water

I like what b-kul said too

Originally Posted by b-kul

... arguably the nicest feeling post on the market (reverb) has pretty complex internals. overpriced? probably, but in this game you pay to play.

I'll add to the Gravity Dropper love pile. For what you request, it's the best one going. Sure, it may not be the most refined looking product, but it just plain works.
You going to ride your bike, or just have it on display as a garage queen?

You want it lighter? Be prepared to pay more, or have it break more. You want it lighter with the current (or better) durability? Be prepared to pay even more.
You want all that and cheaper? Be prepared to have its production move overseas, or quality and CS suffer.

I have two GD posts (one remote, one non-remote) and two Reverbs. The GD wins in the long term durability department. Even though the hose on the Reverb moves with actualtion, I love its remote and infinite adjustment - enough so that those tow bikes are sticking with Reverbs even though they could run a GD instead.

I rode many years with my non-remote GD posts, and love them - moving to remote setups is even better. They get used a lot.

Here is a redirect..I keep looking at the thudbuster and how the seat travel is controlled with links. Reconfigure those links with a floating spring or air pushrod/locking mech. The links control rotational and axial loads much better than a spindly shaft. Or maybe some sorta plate inside the links with stops or holes and a lock mech. Just throwing some ideas around..

Here is a redirect..I keep looking at the thudbuster and how the seat travel is controlled with links. Reconfigure those links with a floating spring or air pushrod/locking mech. The links control rotational and axial loads much better than a spindly shaft. Or maybe some sorta plate inside the links with stops or holes and a lock mech. Just throwing some ideas around..

Interesting.

The issue I see is that the seat moves back as it goes down, so unless it drops really far, it would be in the way as you try to get behind the saddle.

Of course, the main limit of how far a saddle drops with the current models is the length of exposed seat post, and the design you are describing would not have that limitation.

*and just to add to my original post, i dont think getting the post to move up and down is the issue, suspension companies have that pretty well sorted. its getting the post to lock in place and stay there. nearly every brand has a diffeent design for this, once that gets sorted i think we will start to see some nice droppers.